Sheena Jackson

Sinn Fein councillor Sean McGlinchey has said making remarks about his IRA past in Coleraine - the town he bombed in 1973 killing six people and injuring dozens of others - was “very insensitive”.

Councillor McGlinchey said while he stands by his remarks about his IRA past, which he made during a heated row at the monthly meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Council in Coleraine on Tuesday, he realises he was “very insensitive” to have made the comments in Coleraine.

Six people were killed, all pensioners and 33 others were injured, including some schoolchildren in the car bomb attack of June 12, 1973.

Sean McGlinchey was convicted of the attack and jailed for 18 years.

During a heated debate about the refugee crisis, an issue which Councillor McGlinchey had called for a special meeting on to see how the area could help, a row developed and he said: “I’m an ex-IRA man. I’m proud of it”.

Today he told the Derry Journal that he stands over his comments, but realises he should not have said them in Coleraine.

“I apologise for saying the comments in the chamber,” he said.

“I realise that was wrong and I want to apologise to the people of Coleraine and to the victims of the bomb. I regret saying what I said in the chamber in Coleraine. That was very insensitive,” he added.